Does an Emmy Go to … Blake Shelton?

The 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were announced Thursday (July 10), and Blake Shelton is essentially on the list.

Well, he’s not personally nominated, but NBC’s hit reality show The Voice is. And isn’t it kind of the same thing? Doesn’t that mean he and his fellow season seven coaches — Adam Levine, Usher and Shakira — are essentially nominees, too? They are the backbone of the show and the main reason America can’t stop watching.

And we aren’t just talking one minor nomination. The Voice racked up a whopping 10 nominations, including another nod for outstanding reality competition program (which it won last year) and outstanding interactive program.

So, broadly speaking, Shelton and company are already Emmy winners. He and Levine comprise half of the original coaching crew. Of course, the show has seen several changes and reincarnations over the last few seasons, including the subsequent break of fellow original coach Christina Aguilera and full-on departure of Cee Lo Green. But that hasn’t stopped NBC’s gravy train from chugging along full speed ahead.

Even with the consideration of other outside factors, like the slew of other talent competitions being thrown our way on a primetime basis, audiences across America still champion The Voice, maybe above all others.

Is it the talent? That’s a big factor. Is it the fast-paced, suspenseful structure of the audition and battle rounds? People do love sitting on the edge of their seats.

Or is it that people just love watching Shelton deliver priceless wisecracks to his pal Levine along with sage advice and words of support and encouragement to his contestants?

I have to argue the latter is the key to the show’s success. Shelton has been there since the beginning, and, in that time, The Voice has snagged 19 Emmy nominations and two wins.